April 29, 2021

The first count of the new year is under our belt, but not without a few problems, firstly I went down with a bad bout of the flu and was unable to take part, but I did manage to get down to drop off the tally sheets and the walkie-talkies and I new then that…

Cowichan Bay South In spite of it being Thanksgiving weekend, volunteeers John Scull, Barry Hetchco, Linda Hill, Donna Zipse, Ken Bendle, and Olene Russell were joined by Oline’s husband Mike and children Kosian, Koia,Kolyna, Kazka, and Kealey along with Felix Fraillon from France.  Some of the counters were inspired by Graham Sorensen’s session last week. …

Hi This week saw a major drop in swan numbers with just 440 birds being found, where the others were hiding, who knows. We did manage to find two Tundra’s one of which was the neck banded P927 which incidentally thanks to Peggy Smith was seen in Forest Grove OR in January 2010 and in…

Thank you Katharine Staiger for this photo of mating Sphinx moths (Smerinthus ophthaimica) found on a peony in their garden. This is likely one of the largest moths that can be found in the Cowichan Valley. I am guessing the large one is the female, measuring about two inches.  The hind wings, which have the…

We broke the ice so to speak with our first count of the season and the coldest morning of the fall. In total there were 9 people that took part, included in these was a visitor Margaret from Alberta who i hope enjoyed her day out with the counters. We missed our good friends Deb…

I sometimes look back and think why did I ever start counting birds, I know the data comes in very useful, but I was a regular bird watcher once and chased rarities all over the provinces like a mad thing. Today made me realize why I and others do it when you pull up on…